9:8 Albany
by HR always live on
Summary: A retelling of the Albany affair, with the file being a real weapon, rather than a fake. Probably more drama than HR fluff as I normally do. H/R and Lucas. Now complete
1. Chapter 1

_My telling of the end of series nine with the proviso that Albany was real, rather than just a deterrent._

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><p>"Get to Ruth, get to her now." Harry waited, holding his breath. Nothing could happen to her, he didn't know how he'd cope.<p>

"She's gone," Dimitri said through the earpiece. "He's taken Ruth." Harry closed his eyes waiting for the phone to ring, knowing it would soon.

"Yes?" he said before the first ring had died away.

"I don't want to mess around Harry. A straight swap, Albany for Ruth. Today, or I'll kill her."

"You hurt her and I promise I will not rest until you have died a very painful death."

"I'm not messing around Harry. I need Albany today. You know I've killed people. I am not lying when I say I'll hurt her if you don't do what I want. I'll call in ninety minutes, that should give you enough time to get hold of it."

"Wait…" Harry said, not wanting the connection to end. But it was too late. Harry sighed. What the hell was he going to do? He had no idea.

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><p>Ruth was sitting in a nameless empty dark warehouse when Lucas removed her gag but left her hands bound. "What are you doing Lucas?" she asked immediately. He ignored her. "You really think this will get you what you want."<p>

"I know it will," he said quietly while typing something on a laptop she couldn't see. "He won't risk you being hurt and he knows what I'm capable of."

"He won't give you Albany. I know he won't," Ruth said surely. "It'll kill millions of people."

"Shut up Ruth," he said. Lucas didn't want to think about how this could harm people. They were nameless faceless people. He wanted to concentrate on how Albany was his escape ticket. Out of the UK and staying out of prison, as well as remaining friendly with the Chinese.

"Do you really think Harry would trade me life for the millions that will die? Do you think so little of his principles as that?" Ruth shook her head, wanting to get through to him.

"He loves you," Lucas said. "Which makes you my best shot. Stop talking, I know you're trying to make me see this is a mistake. But I know he won't let you die."

"Lucas…"

"Do you want me to gag you again?" That was enough incentive for her to be quiet. At least for the time being. According to her guessing Harry had about forty five minutes until Lucas called him again. She had no idea what he'd do. The only thing she knew with absolute certainty was that he wouldn't give Albany to Lucas. Because that was not the man she loved.

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><p><em>I know its a tiny start up chapter but thought I'd see if people were interested in it. Review and let me know.<em>


	2. Chapter 2

Tariq, Dimitri and Beth had all appeared back on the grid with sombre looks on their faces. "I'm sorry," Dimitri said.

"You three can stop looking at me like someone's died," Harry said. "No one has." He couldn't stop the thought that ran through the back of his mind. No one's died yet.

"How long have we got before Lucas calls?" Beth asked.

"About forty minutes. I'm going to try and convince Lucas with a fake. I'm not convinced that he actually knows what Albany is. I just need the pass codes to be the same. Tariq, can you help me input them on a fake laptop?"

"Yeah," he said easily, following Harry to his office. Time was short.

"Are you good enough for this?" Harry asked as Tariq started to programme a computer with the A4 list of numbers Harry had given him.

"I hope so," he said, without raising his head.

"Hope isn't good enough," Harry said with a growl.

"Harry, we are on an extremely tight clock. Do you want to criticise my tech skills or do you want me to concentrate on this?"

"Sorry," Harry said sincerely. "I'm just worried about her."

"So are we."

Harry left Tariq alone in his office and went too speak to Beth and  
>Dimitri. "I need you to look for buildings where Lucas could have taken her."<p>

"In the whole of London?" Dimitri questioned.

"Yes," Harry said. "Lucas will have disabled CCTV so look for broken camera's around empty or vacated buildings. Start from where he took her and work out. A mile, then two. Keep going until you find where she is."

"Harry, this is a long shot," Beth said as Dimitri got to work.

"I don't care," he said quietly. "I have to be doing something to find her."

Neither Beth nor Dimitri said another word and got to work. It wasn't any help that they both knew that Ruth could do this better than either of them could.

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><p><em>This is probably going to be short scenes quickly posted, as long as people want them.<br>_


	3. Chapter 3

"Lucas, do you really want to kill me?" Ruth asked, trying to stay as calm as possible.

"Want to? No. Will I? Of course I will if its required. You can't tell me you are totally guilt free, working in this job?"

"Probably not," she said. "I've probably been responsible in killing dozens of people. But they are criminals and terrorists. People who want to kill innocents indiscriminately. I have never kidnapped someone and threatened their life to make their loved ones do something wrong."

"Finally admitting that you do care for him then," Lucas said.

"With death knocking on the door, it seems rather pointless to deny it doesn't it. He proposed a few months ago. I said no."

"Why?" Lucas was genuinely curious.

"Because we are so twisted and intertwined with each other. It is just impossible to unpick it for us. I couldn't."

"That is a pathetic reason. You should say yes."

"Well its all hypothetical if I never make it out of this room alive isn't it?" she said, trying to bring things out of her non relationship with Harry. How would you kill me Lucas? I know that Harry won't do what you want, so I'd like to know how you'd kill me?" She could tell that her matter of fact way of speaking was starting to get to him. So there was a shred of humanity in him, even when hiding behind this mask of an uncaring, unemotional man.

He swallowed before replying. "I'd drug you," he said. "You won't feel anything. It would give Harry time to find you before you OD'd."

"But for him to find me, you'd have to tell him where I am. I know you well enough to know that no one would find wherever I am at the moment, and certainly not in the time I have. Not unless you tell them."

"I think if you were at the grid, you'd probably find it," Lucas said. "You're brilliant."

"I think that's the only compliment you've ever paid me," she replied. Lucas forced himself to hold in the smile and looked at his watch.

"Time to call. Can I trust you to keep your mouth shut while I speak to Harry?" She nodded, not wanting to be gagged again. "Okay."_  
><em>


	4. Chapter 4

"Will it work?" Harry asked as he approached the pods, keeping the laptop safe.

"Well, I'd like an extra two or three hours to make doubly sure and tighten everything up but its your best shot. It's the best that can be done by anyone in such a short time," Tariq said.

"Okay, thanks."

"Wear this," Tariq said giving Harry what looked like a stiff string of cotton. "Its made of natural fibres so it won't be picked up on any scanner and its got GPS so it will allow us to track you. Use it as an earpiece."

"You sure Lucas won't know?"

"Absolutely. These are brilliant prototypes and each one costs about a hundred thousand pounds a throw," he said eagerly.

"Glad you trust me with your new toy," Harry said lightly, determined not to focus on Ruth who had been taken from him. He stepped through the pods, closely followed by Beth and Dimitri who would stay three streets away from him at the very least.

He had just got in the car when Lucas called. "Any luck?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah, I have it. Where do you want me?"

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><p>Lucas disconnected the call as Harry was driving to the meet. He watched for a moment longer on the camera he'd fitted to the car Harry was driving, to make sure he was doing what he was supposed to be. Then he looked at Ruth and saw her eyes shining with tears. "He won't give it to you. He won't. I'm not worth that for anyone. Even him."<p>

"Who are you trying to convince Ruth? Me or yourself?" Then Ruth saw it. Lucas had a needle in his hand.

"No!" she shouted, struggling away from him. But even one handed his grip was like iron. She kept saying no over and over again but it made no difference as she felt the sharp tip of the needle bury itself into the flesh of her arm. She saw the plunger go down and a few seconds later she felt her body react, feeling very sluggish. "What are you doing to me?" she demanded as she felt her movements slip out of her control.

"Stop fighting it," he replied as she collapsed, making jerky movements, even as she laid horizontally. He had misjudged it, because it hadn't been enough to knock her out. She was still twitching, her eyelids flickering. He gave her another shot of the drug and her eyes closed instantly. He quickly hooked her up to an anaesthetic IV, knowing that given a few hours it would kill her. He wiped everything down, wanting to be sure that his fingerprints wouldn't be anywhere, just in case. He took one last look at Ruth and felt sadness. None of this was her fault. He didn't intend for her to die, but she was his safety net. He hoped nothing would go wrong and he could leave the country without another death on his conscience.

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><p><em>I'd love a review if you have a spare second!<br>_


	5. Chapter 5

Harry was maybe two minutes from the meet. He heard Tariq's voice in his ear but knew he couldn't respond. He knew Lucas would be listening in to make sure he didn't try anything. "Harry if you can hear me, cough," Tariq said. He did as Tariq had asked. "Good. Listen Dimitri and Beth are about five minutes behind you. Just keep Lucas talking until they catch up." Harry coughed to show he understood as he slowed the car to a stop. His phone rang as soon as he closed the car door behind her.

"I'm here," Harry said.

"So I see," Lucas said. Harry fought the impulse to turn and look, knowing Lucas wouldn't be in clear sight anyway. "There's a bin about twenty paces in front of you. Walk calmly and put the laptop in it."

"Tell me you haven't hurt her," he demanded. "I need to know."

"I'll keep my word if you keep yours," Lucas said.

"Tell me."

"She's alive." Harry closed his eyes in relief and let the laptop fall into the bin.

"Keep walking," Lucas said. "Steady pace and don't look back."

"You can't let me down Lucas," Harry said.

"Don't panic Harry," Tariq said in his ear. "Beth and Dimitri are almost there and special forces are just behind them. Also we're keeping tight surveillance on the hotel Maya Lehan is in." Harry would have to thank the young Tech at some future point in time.

"I'll know if you're trying to fake me," Lucas said as Harry slowed down slightly.

"The Chinese have given me their codes. I'll know."

"Just trust me," Harry said.

"I can't," he replied. He opened the laptop and quickly put the memory stick in. The computer made some random beeping noises and the password automatically filled from the information on the USB. It did have an autodestruct warning so he hoped it was right, otherwise he'd never escape from this mess. A sudden countdown clock appeared, warning for the correct password.

"No…" Lucas said. He unplugged the stick and rammed it back in but it made no difference. The screen suddenly went black a second after the number one showed on the screen. It wouldn't turn back on. "You lied to me." Lucas said, unable to believe he'd been conned. "You've written her death warrant Harry, you'll never find her."

"Don't do anything stupid Lucas," Harry said to try and keep him talking for as long as possible. He needed time. "Back up is already on the way. You can't escape."

"Well, I'll give it my best shot anyway," Lucas said. "You should really let me go free. Its probably wiser and I won't kill her if you let me go."

"No. I'll soon have you locked up and then I can go and find her myself can't I? Without the threat of you murdering her."

"I wouldn't if I were you Harry," he said as their gazes locked. "She's attached to an anaesthetic drip. In about three hours she'll overdose. You won't find her by then. You know you won't. You have to let me go." Harry looked into the distance and saw Beth and Dimitri with special forces behind them. As Lucas was watching Harry, he didn't see them.

He hated himself for what he was about to do as he closed the phone. He took a second to stare into Lucas's eyes before saying anything to Tariq over the wire. He made his choice.

"Take him."_  
><em>


	6. Chapter 6

Only twenty minutes later Lucas was handcuffed and sitting in the interrogation room in Thames House. He was alone but knew he wouldn't be for long. He closed his eyes and thought of Maya. At least she was spared from all of this. Meanwhile outside the room a major argument was brewing.

"You have to let me go in there," Harry said. Both Dimitri and Beth were telling him he'd snap if left in a room alone with him, while Tariq was beating himself up because the laptop substitute hadn't worked.

"Harry you'll kill him if he doesn't tell you what you want to hear," Dimitri said.  
>"I won't," Harry said.<p>

"I think Dimitri is right," Beth said.

"If neither of you get anything out of him, do you really want the weight of Ruth's death on your conscience?" Harry said, his eyes burning. "If its me in there and I fail, I have no one to blame but myself. I need to do this."

Beth looked convinced but Dimitri had doubts. "Harry, you need to stay calm with him. If you lose it, he won't give you anything."

"I've been doing this far longer than you have, you think I don't know what I have to do? How to handle a corrupt spy? I have been the betrayer or been betrayed by everyone in my life. Except her. I won't fail her." Dimitri moved away from the door, letting Harry be able to open the cell door. "Thank you. Have people ready to go when he gives me an address." He opened the door.

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><p>"Are you going to ask me anything or just sit there?" Lucas asked after ten minutes of silence. An agonisingly painful ten minutes for Harry as he imagined life draining out of Ruth with every second that passed.<p>

"We both know what I want," Harry said. "Why aren't you talking?"

"I spent eight years being tortured in a Russian prison. Do you really think I'm going to break to you?"

"I am hoping that you are going to see that no matter what you do now, no matter what happens, you aren't getting out of here in the near future. Do you want her death on your conscience as well as everything else?"

"All you had to do was give over Albany," Lucas said. "Then she'd be fine, and I'd be on my way to a knew life with…"

"Maya?"

"Where is she?" Lucas asked quietly.

"Where's Ruth?" Harry countered quickly.

"If I tell you where she is, you'll lock me up and never bother with me again. I won't be forgotten so easily."

"No one's denying that," Harry said. "I couldn't forget you. How longs she got? Before you've murdered her?"

"I honestly don't know. Maybe two hours, if she's lucky."

"And you're just okay with that?" Harry asked. "That in a couple of hours you would have killed one of your colleagues? What's the point? Now that you're here you have nothing to lose by telling me where she is."

"Once a murderer, always a murderer," Lucas said dispassionately. "My MI5 career began with a murder, seems fitting it will end that way."

Harry couldn't help it. He got up and quickly threw a punch at Lucas's jaw. It felt very satisfying. So he hit him again, this time in the stomach. "Tell me where she is!" Harry demanded as Dimitri tried to pull him off of Lucas. "Just tell me where you're hiding her!" He kept shouting even as Dimitri bundled him out of the room. The young spook was stronger than he looked.

"Was it necessary to hit him?" Dimitri asked, letting go of Harry both breathing heavily.

"Maybe not, but it felt good."

"You might have to entertain the possibility that he won't talk," Dimitri said quietly.

"I know because its all I can think about. What do I do if she suffers a fatal overdose? How do I cope, knowing it was my fault. That I'm the one who killed her. How do I ever get past it?"

"She isn't dead yet."

"It won't be long," Harry said. "No matter how much you try to stay positive, I know it won't be long."

"Let me try with him," Dimitri said. "Either way, you're not going back in there."  
>"Fine," Harry said. "I'm going to work with Tariq on finding possible locations she could be."<p>

"Do that."

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><p><em>Which way do you want it to go? Or put another way, how much will you hate me if Ruth dies?<br>_


	7. Chapter 7

** Four hours later.**

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><p>She's dead. The only thought Harry could think. It had been far too long and there was no way on earth Ruth would still be alive. He had left the grid as soon as it became clear that he was doing nothing but slowing Tariq down and was driving round in circles, knowing someone would call when they had news. They all knew she was dead too. There was simply no other option, not after so long. Harry just drove, knowing he might bypass her location as he was doing it. He had to be moving. Because if he wasn't moving, his brain would go to images of Ruth dead, pale and lifeless. He knew she was likely to look much better than what he was imagining, working against the worst of humanity everyday made the brain just go there. The phone rang and he quickly picked it up, ignoring the fact he was driving.<p>

"15 Warmsley Road," Tariq said. "I'm sending the directions to your sat nav now."

"Thanks," Harry said and quickly followed the almost instant directions. "Can you… wait for emergency services? Just give me a ten minute… Or fifteen minute head start. I want to be alone with her."

"Of course Harry." He drove faster than was wise but he had to get there. He knew he was hours too late but he didn't care. He had to see her one last time.

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><p>He dragged open the door and saw her lying on the ground. He knew it was her even from the door, just from the way her hair lay around her face. He knew it was her. He ran and crouched down to face her, she was still. Deathly still. He put his hand on the plastic wire coming out of her arm and in doing so his hand brushed hers. She was freezing. He removed the medication as quickly as he could. Even if he was too late, he couldn't have her looking like that. Attached to the drugs that killed her.<p>

"Oh Ruth," he breathed, holding her head between his hands. Her cheeks were soft but cold. How often had he wanted to hold her face, letting his thumb brush her skin he had no idea. Why had it taken this? "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "Please don't think you were unimportant to me. Please. I know you wouldn't have been able to cope with the guilt, if I'd let a million people die for you. I just hope I'll be able to live with the guilt of the other choice. I don't know if I can." He pressed his lips to her lifeless ones and then looked at her face again. "I am so sorry." He reached forward for another kiss and then backed away swiftly. He could have sworn he'd felt her lips twitch.

"Can you hear me?" he asked quietly. No response. He knew she wasn't there. He knew that logically she was dead, she was so cold that there wasn't really another option. "Please be able to hear me," he begged as his fingers brushed through her hair. Silence. He didn't even realise he was crying until he felt the tears fall onto his hands. He brushed them away impatiently and then leaned in to kiss her again.

"…mm…"

"Ruth?" he whispered against her lips. He heard that tiny little noise again and felt his heart soar. He picked up the phone and got through to Tariq immediately.

"Get paramedics over here immediately," he demanded with no pre-emptive. "She's still hanging on."

"Three minutes away," Tariq said. "I had them on standby."

"Thank you."

"Talk to me," he said stroking her face. "I need you to fight, can you do that for me?"

"…mm…"

"Good," he said firmly, trying to hold back his relief. She was still in danger and horribly cold. She'd been drugged for hours and he had no idea what the brain damage would be. The fact that she was still functional to even mumble anything was incredible. He felt incredibly stupid for not checking her pulse the second he found her, wasting a precious few seconds before he had unhooked her IV.

"Paramedics are going to be here soon," he said. "Can you try to move your fingers for me?" He looked down at her hand, praying for movement. He wasn't sure but he thought her index finger twitched. Maybe wishful thinking. "I know you're disorientated and drugged up, but I need you to try harder. Move your finger." She definitely managed it that time. He smiled. "Well done." He didn't get any further because two paramedics came into the building and he moved out of the way, so they could more easily get to her.

He was crouched by her but then his eyes were drawn by the IV bag. Something wasn't right. She should have been dead for at least an hour but she wasn't. He looked at the connection between the bag and the wire. Then he saw what had happened. The link was far too tight between them, meaning that the drug wouldn't have been flowing into Ruth's bloodstream at nearly the rate Lucas had told him. He knew that Lucas as far too meticulous to have done this by accident, so he had never really intended for her to die. She still had hours to live. He closed his eyes in relief. It meant she was going to be okay.

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><p><em>I had honestly intended to kill her but was reminded that my pen name would need changing if that were the case. All I've written so far but hope its okay. xxx<br>_


	8. Chapter 8

Harry went with her to the hospital but the paramedics had put her in a medically induced coma until the drugs Lucas had given her worked their way out of her system. "How long before she wakes up?"

"Eight hours, we estimate," the male paramedic said. Harry nodded and decided that he would leave her alone to get better. He wanted to have a word with Lucas before he was moved from their holding cells and he would get the chance again. He walked to the hospital reception and told them to call him if Ruth took a turn for the worse but he knew it was unlikely. He left and took a taxi back to Thames House. Once there he made a beeline for Lucas.

"How is she?" Dimitri asked before he could get there.

"She'll be fine," Harry said. "Just needs some bed rest to let the drugs wear off. Is Lucas still here?"

"Yeah," he replied.

Harry opened the door and saw Lucas sitting down and staring at the floor. "We found her," Harry said.

"Is she alright?" Lucas asked in a dead voice.

"Yes. She will be anyway." Harry paused before continuing. "You made sure she had as much time as possible. You didn't want her dead."

"No," Lucas replied. "She is a kind and brilliant woman who I worked with everyday for two years. I wouldn't have killed her Harry. I was just trying to get a hold over you."

"Congratulations, you did," Harry said.

"But it wasn't enough."

"Albany has the ability to kill millions of people. Do you really think I'd have given that up just for one life? Her life? No matter how much her value is to me."

"Did you think about it?" Lucas asked, genuinely curious. "Trading it for her life?

"Yes." Harry took a deep breath. "She would think she isn't worth that to anyone, but she is to me."

"Tell her," Lucas said. "She never once thought that you'd give it away for her. She said you had principles. You need to fight for her Harry. You need to show her that she means everything to you because she won't believe it unless you tell her. She undervalues herself, she always has done and you know that's true. Its her worst trait."

"I'm sorry I hit you," Harry said after a few seconds of silence.

"I probably deserved it," Lucas said. "Maya, is she safe?"

"Yes, we had her hotel under heavy surveillance, she's fine."

"Good," Lucas replied clearly relieved.

"I have to go," Harry said. "The powers that be are going to want to move you as soon as possible. But Maya's here if you want to see her. I'll hold them off for a little while."

"Thank you Harry," Lucas said sincerely. Harry got up and left the room, knowing he wouldn't see Lucas again.

Back in his office he looked at the time. Desperate as he was to see Ruth he knew she wouldn't be awake yet and it would be a complete waste of his energy. So he decided to go home and get a couple of hours sleep. Hopefully he would be sitting by her bedside when she woke up.

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><p><em>Probably going to descend into HR fluff now, as long as is wanted.<br>_


	9. Chapter 9

_Last chapter I think..._

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><p>Harry had only slept for four hours before heading back to the hospital. She would most likely be waking up anytime now. E walked into the hospital reception and saw a different nurse from the night before. "Ruth Evershed?" The nurse flipped through her clipboard quickly.<p>

"When did she come in?" she asked with a frown.

"Last night."

"Oh yeah, found her. She's been discharged about an hour ago."

"That's impossible," Harry said shaking his head. "She was in a coma last night, she can't have left already."

"She was alert, focused and drug free. She wanted to go home and we had no medical reason to keep her here."

"I asked to be called if there was a change in her condition," Harry said menacingly.

"It says here that the patient said no call was necessary."

"Bloody stubborn woman," Harry cursed under his breath. The nurse raised her eyebrows but said nothing. "Thanks anyway." Harry left and drove straight to Ruth's. Even if he wasn't welcome, he had to see for himself that she was okay.

* * *

><p>He rang her doorbell and waited for her to answer, feeling his nerves as he waited to see her. The last time he'd seen her had been unconscious on a hospital bed, and he'd like to replace that with a different image of her. He heard the door unlock and saw her pale but very alive face when the door swung open. She had a faint smile, which he was relieved to see. "I wondered how long it'd take for you to come around," she said quietly.<p>

"Can I?" Harry asked. Ruth nodded and let him in, closing the door behind him.

"Beth called and filled me in on the basics of what I missed while unconscious," Ruth said, standing at the opposite end of the kitchen from Harry.

"You shouldn't have discharged yourself," Harry said. "What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that yesterday was a really bad day and I wanted to go home."

"But…"

"Oh relax Harry, I'm fine," she said impatiently.

"Have you eaten?" he asked ignoring her tone. She allowed herself a small smile at how much he cared about her.

"Yes."

"Good. You're not coming into work today," he added as the thought occurred to him.

"Harry, even my dedication doesn't go that far," she said. She sighed as they were still standing as far away from each other as her small kitchen allowed. It was so them somehow even after the last twenty four hours, so she closed a little distance and sat down on a kitchen chair. Harry followed her lead and sat opposite her. "I feel so useless."

"Why?" he asked.

"The weak woman kidnapped to get you to do something?"

"Ruth, many things you may be but weak is not one of them." Ruth took a moment and looked into his eyes, wanting to read his face. She felt a sudden jolt as Harry took her hand which had been resting on the table. His finger gently ran over her knuckles while she considered how to phrase her question.

"Would you really have let people die for me?"

"If it was just one or two, almost certainly. I'm sorry if its not what you want to hear, but I would have. Your value to me is worth so much more."

"My value?" she questioned. "Glad you think so," she said sarcastically pulling her hand away from his and standing up. "Look, if that's the only reason you're here, you can go now. I'm alive, I'm conscious and I'll be back at work tomorrow." Harry sighed, wondering why she always made him so inarticulate. No other woman managed to make him act like this. He was the head of the main anti terrorist wing of MI5, for Gods sake. He stood up and walked a few paces closer to her. She was backed up against the wall so she couldn't move away from him.

"I want you to be quiet, because I'm going to try and say something to you. When I went into that warehouse, knowing you'd be dead, that was the single most devastating moment of my entire life. Then through some twist of fate I discovered that Lucas still had a conscience. He hadn't given you a drug strong enough to kill you and I knew you'd live. The relief… its indescribable. You are the one thing, the one person I never want to lose. And I made a choice that could have killed you."

"You made the right choice," she said in a soft voice.

"Even though academically it was the right choice, emotionally I felt my mind screaming at me to just give him what he wanted. Because then you'd be safe.

"I am safe."

"Yes," he said a hand caressing her face softly. Her wonderfully warm and alive face. "Do you have any idea how grateful I am for that? I don't want to… I can't waste anymore time. I love you. I just… I love you. Its as simple as that." He didn't waste another second, he leaned towards her and kissed her lips. A soft brush against hers which was over in a second. He let his hand disappear from her face and was about to move away when he felt her hand slide down his arm and entwine with his fingers.

"Do that again," she quietly requested. He leaned in towards her, even slower this time and he saw the moment her eyes fluttered closed. He kissed her again, lips melding together. She let her tongue dart out and run over the seam of his lips, feeling them instantly open to her. She felt the kiss move gorgeously slowly from soft and sensual to deep and passionate. Eventually they both needed to come up for air. "That should have been our first kiss," she whispered, her hand cradling his face.

"Mm," he agreed quietly. "Although that one on the dock kept me going through three years without you."

"I love you too," she said realising she hadn't told him yet. "I always have."

"That's good to hear." He smiled and moved to kiss her again, neither caring that she was up against the wall.

"Tell me you don't have to go into work," she breathed as his lips moved from hers to tasting her neck slowly and delightfully.

"I don't have to go to the grid for a while."

"Good," she murmured, closing her eyes and concentrating on the fantastic way he was assaulting her senses. This went on for several long minutes until he kissed her lips softly for an instant.

"We should slow down," he whispered as a finger trailed over her collarbone.

"I know we should," Ruth said, her eyes sparkling for the first time since Lucas had kidnapped her. "Doesn't mean I want to."

"Oh Ruth…" he whispered, leaning in and breathing in her wonderful scent. He kissed her neck once more letting a hand curve its way around her waist. "I'm going to leave. My self restraint isn't infinite."

"Go then," she said with a smile. "Just make sure you come back later."

"I will," he said with such conviction that she knew he was telling the truth. He looked at her intently for another minute and then left without saying another word. Ruth closed her eyes and let out a breath. She had hoped something like that would happen the next time she saw him but to have her hopes sink into reality was something else entirely.

__


End file.
